This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please go over what can be recycled. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality released a positive report that said Virginia recycled almost half of its trash last year, setting a record despite China’s ban on importing plastic and other solid waste. Furthermore, according to the report, the Central Virginia Waste Management Authority, which includes Richmond and surrounding localities, had the highest recycling rate in the commonwealth — 59%.

Also, from a WTVR report:

One change is that many localities have dropped recycling glass because it is hard to find a market for that product. That is why DEQ is asking Virginians to minimize their use of glass.

“Citizens should try to generate less waste, like purchasing products with the least amount of packaging and those that are readily recyclable, such as aluminum cans vs. glass bottles,” said Anissa Rafeh, the department’s communications coordinator.

Glass can be problematic to recycle for several reasons, said Joe Romuno, director of national accounts for an environmental consulting firm called Great Forest Sustainability Solutions.

“Broken glass can contaminate other recyclables like paper and cardboard, lowering their value,” Romuno said. Moreover, broken glass can be a safety hazard to workers and can damage machines at recycling facilities.

Also, glass must be sorted by color in order to reprocess for recycling. “Glass is difficult to sort when broken, and if broken down too finely, it may become too difficult to reprocess,” Romuno said.

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Please go over what can be recycled. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, major beverage companies have announced a new push for recycling.

Every year, an estimated 100 billion plastic bottles are produced in the U.S., the bulk of which come from three of America’s biggest beverage companies: Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Keurig Dr Pepper. The problem? Only one-third of those bottles get recycled; the rest end up in the trash.

Now, these companies are investing $100 million to improve recycling collection and processing. That money will be distributed through The Recycling Partnership, a Virginia-based nonprofit that works with local governments to improve recycling rates, and Closed Loop Partners, a New York firm that invests in recycling facilities and new research. The World Wildlife Fund will track the companies’ progress.

Time will tell if this really improves things or is just more greenwashing by corporations. Given the amount of plastic production, there are a lot of skeptics.

Meanwhile, in Scotland, plastic bottle recycling is being to create new material for road ways.

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality announced that it had revoked the permit of a Petersburg landfill after complaints from nearby residents.

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.
In recycling news, the recycling industry is facing many challenges in trying to incorporate higher amounts of recycled content into packaging materials. In order to help address them, Charlottesville, Virginia-based GreenBlue, the parent nonprofit to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC), How2Recycle and other programs, has selected NSF International, from Ann arbor, Michigan, to facilitate the development of its Recycled Material Standard (RMS). This global standard will help advance adoption of certified material for common packing materials, beginning with plastic.

Also, here’s a quick reminder that the RVA Environment Film Festival is running its annual Virginia Film contest with a $1000.00 grand prize. Please tell your filmmaker friends and family.

Sorry, I forget to post a reminder last time.
This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, congratulations to the Virginia Chili, Blues and Brews Festival. Their 12th iteration will also mark a significant first: as the first-ever Zero Waste Festival in Waynesboro, VA’s history.

The event, which brings thousands of guests to town to sample over 200+ gallons of chili, local brews and ciders with world-class blues, will offer guests the chance to reduce the waste footprint of the event.

“Last year we threw away over 30,000 non-recyclable styrofoam serving cups, plastic spoons and drink cups, and sent it directly to the landfill,” said Terry Short, the festival organizer.
This year the event will replace all of those items with compostable material, as will all of its food vendors.
“In fact, we’ll conduct composting demonstrations throughout the event as well,” said Short, who is also Waynesboro’s mayor. “We’re also incentivizing our chili competitors with an extra cash prize to help us educate patrons of some eco-friendly steps they can take back home with them.”
In March, the City of Waynesboro suspended its plastic recycling program, following a sad trend nationwide as communities deal with a lack of after-market demand for plastics.
“Like anything in life, you can either sit down and accept things, or stand up and do something. At the Virginia Chili, Blues and Brews Festival, we’ve decided to do something,” Short said.
The Virginia Chili Blues and Brews Festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28 in Downtown Waynesboro from 2:30-9pm, featuring music from the son of blues legend Muddy Waters, Big Bill Morganfield, award-winning Texas guitarist Chris Duarte, and more.
Discounted tickets and more information are available online at VirginiaChili.com.

Let’s see more Richmond festivals show this gumption.

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In reclying news, WTKR is reporting that Dominion Energy is launching a refrigerator recycling program that offers no-cost appliance removal services for its Virginia customers.

Nathan Frost, Dominion Energy’s director of new technology and energy conservation, says the program is good for both the environment and customers’ wallets.

“Many of us have an old refrigerator or freezer in the basement or garage, but don’t realize just how much energy these older appliances require to run,” Frost said. “We want to make it easy for our customers by picking up their old appliances for a $20 incentive.”

Units picked up through the program are taken to an appliance recycling facility, where 95 percent of their materials will be reused for other products.

This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, “plastics professionals” are espousing plasma gasification as THE solution. ”

In plasma gasification, feedstock (trash) is introduced into a vessel of extremely high heat (~2,000 deg F) capable of breaking all organic chemical bond and reducing all trash including plastic, paper, glass, yard waste, food, filth, etc. to basic elements. The heat also melts metals, which are recovered.

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This Wednesday is a “Red Wednesday”, which means trash and recycling pickup. Ideally, rolling recycling containers are stored and deployed in the back alleys along with trash cans. Please make sure you pick up containers after pickup tomorrow night.

If you have not done so already, don’t forget to sign up for your Recycling Perks.
In order to take your recycling to the next level, read this: 10 ways to improve your recycling.

In recycling news, there have been some interesting media reports on how Italian commuters can turn in plastic bottles for transit credits.